1. Field of the Invention
This invention relates to a docking station for a liquid container and more particularly to a docking station for a liquid container which is adapted to receive a liquid container such as a bottle or the like containing liquids with the docking station being adapted to accept only bottles of a particular height and diameter to ensure that the proper liquid will be dispensed to a mixing machine, spray nozzle, etc. Even more particularly, this invention relates to a hand-operated liquid dispenser which is mounted on the upper end of the docking station to enable a person to dispense liquid from the liquid container and mix the same with water and dispense the mixture into a bucket, spray bottle, etc.
2. Description of the Related Art
Corrosive liquid chemicals are typically contained in a container such as a bottle or the like and are frequently dispensed therefrom to a mixing machine, spray nozzle, etc. Normally, a cap is placed on the bottle with a dip tube extending therefrom downwardly into the interior of the bottle for drawing the liquid upwardly thereinto. Normally, a dispensing tube extends from the cap to a mixing machine or to some other piece of equipment which creates suction in the dispensing tube to draw the liquid from the interior of the bottle.
Applicant has previously provided several liquid dispensing systems wherein a throat plug assembly including a valve is positioned in the throat of the bottle with the valve normally being closed but which is opened upon the attachment of a dispensing cap mounted on the upper end of the bottle. Normally, a dispensing tube extends from the dispensing cap to the spray nozzle or to an on-off valve to enable the contents from the bottle to be introduced into a spray bottle or the like. Heretofore, there has not been a convenient means for supporting the bottle during the use thereof. Further, in some cases, the wrong bottle was connected to the spray nozzle or on-off valve which resulted in the wrong chemicals being supplied thereto. Although the docking station of the co-pending application works extremely well, it requires that the liquid chemical being dispensed from the docking station must be mixed with water in a separate step to obtain the proper chemical/water mixture. When the liquid chemical from the container is dispensed into a spray bottle for example, the proper amount of water must be placed in the spray bottle before the liquid chemical is dispensed thereunto or the proper amount of water must be placed in the spray bottle after the liquid chemical is dispensed thereunto.